Number of the Week

Comparative Analysis of KCSE performance

Post Date: 09 March 2017 | Category: Education | Hits: 1208

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education is an entrance examination to public and private universities. The minimum grade for admission to university for a degree programme is C+. A student who attains a mean grade of C+ and below has an opportunity to undertake non-degree courses, mainly certificate and diploma courses in other tertiary institutions. The current 8.4.4 education system is highly exam oriented, thus making students to place a lot of emphasis on passing the exams since majority hold the view that a good grade guarantees one a successful life.

Following exam irregularities that was witnessed in 2015 , stringent measures were established by the government in 2016 to ensure and sustain the credibility of the KCSE examination. This week’s chart provides a comparison of the performance of KCSE exams for 2015 and 2016.

Comparison of KCSE performance for 2015 and 2016

Source: Kenya National Examination Council

The number of candidates who sat for KCSE in 2016 increased by 9.5% from 521658 candidates to 571161. It is observed that in each grade category from mean grade A to C-, there are more 2015 candidates compared to their 2016 counterparts, implying that 2015 posted higher performance. On the other hand, it is observed that in each grade category from mean grade D+ to E, there are more 2016 candidates compared to their 2015 counterparts.

Number of the Week: 77% (Percentage increase in the total number of candidates who scored a mean grade D+ and below from 2015 to 2016)

As illustrated in the chart above, 141 candidates scored a mean grade A in 2016, representing 0.02% of the total number of candidates that year

On the other hand, candidates who scored the same grade A in 2015 were 2636 candidates, this represents 0.5% of the number of candidates that year.

Between 2015 and 2016, number of students who scored a mean grade A, dropped by 95%

Candidates who scored a mean grade C+ and above in 2016 were 88929, representing 16% of the total number of candidates that year.

On the other hand, candidates in the similar mean grade category in 2015 were 169910, which represents 33% of the total number of candidates that year.

Between 2015 and 2016, number of students who scored mean grade C+ and above have dropped by 48%

Candidates who scored a mean grade D+ and E in 2016 were 376414, this represent 66% of the total number of candidates that year.

On the other hand, candidates in the similar mean grade category in 2015 were 212720 which represents 41% of the total number of candidates that year.

Between 2015 and 2016, number of students who scored a mean grade D+ and below increased by 77%.